Eating Right during the Holidays

Eating Right during the Holidays

Dear Friends:

Can the holidays really be here? For many of us, next week starts the season of celebration. But sometimes it feels more like the season of indulging. Big dinners, social gatherings and company functions mean a chance to re-connect with friends, families and co-workers. However, according to an article by Tracey Neithercott on the American Diabetes Association website, “most of us look longingly to this time of year for something else: a valid excuse to pig out.”

Neithercott’s advice is to focus on the celebration instead of the food. As she notes, in our evolutionary history when food was scarce, eating became a significant event as did sharing food resources with loved ones. Today, with food readily available, it does not need to be central to the celebration but simply a part of it.

November is National Diabetes Month, and while the article offers great tips for people with diabetes, it also suggests several ways that anyone can shift holiday celebrating away from food to a more social, physical and spiritual focus:

Promote Togetherness. “Families can choose to strengthen bonds by creating new traditions that go beyond turkey and stuffing,” the author says. Playing games – like a charades challenge – can shift the focus from food to fun.

Active Celebrations. Doing something active has the nice side effect of bringing your blood glucose down a bit, says Neithercott. A walk or hike also helps burn off the extra calories most likely consumed. Another tradition is kicking off a holiday by participating in a 5K or 10K road race.

Helping Others. Volunteering lets you do something good for others but also keeps you busy so you’re thinking less about eating.